Effect of Mornidae Radix extracts on experimental osteoporosis in sciatic neurectomized mice

Morinda officinalis polysaccharide enable suppression of osteoclastic differentiation by exosomes derived from rat mesenchymal stem cells

CONTEXT

Morinda officinalis F.C. How. (MO) (Rubiaceae) can strengthen bone function.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the functional mechanism and effect of MO polysaccharides (MOPs) in rats with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rats with GIOP were treated with 5, 15 or 45 mL/kg of MOP [n = 15 for each dose, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection every other day for 8 weeks]. The body weight of rats and histomorphology of bone tissues were examined. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived exosomes (Exo) were collected and identified. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) were induced to differentiate into osteoclasts and treated with BMSC-Exo for in vitro studies.

RESULTS

MOP reduced the body weight (5, 15, or 45 mg/kg MOP vs. phosphate-buffered saline: 8%, 15% and 25%, p < 0.01), elevated the bone volume to tissue volume (BV/TV), mean trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), mean trabecular number (Tb.N) and mean connectivity density (Conn.D) (40-86%, p < 0.01), decreased the mean trabecular separation/spacing (Tb.Sp) (22-37%, p < 0.01), increased the cortical bone continuity (35-90%, p < 0.01) and elevated RUNX family transcription factor 2 and RANK levels (5-12%, p < 0.01), but suppressed matrix metallopeptidase 9 and cathepsin K levels (9-20%, p < 0.01) in femur tissues. BMSC-Exo from MOP-treated rats (MOP-Exo) suppressed osteoclastic differentiation and proliferation of BMMs. The downregulation of microRNA-101-3p (miR-101-3p) or the upregulation of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) blocked the functions of MOP-Exo.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

MOP inhibits osteoclastic differentiation and could potentially be used for osteoporosis management. This suppression may be enhanced by the upregulation of miR-101-3p or the inhibition of PTGS2.

Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Bone Regeneration and Osteoporosis

According to World Health Organization (WHO), osteoporosis is a systematic bone disability marked by reduced bone mass and microarchitectural degeneration of osseous cells, which leads to increased bones feebleness and fractures vulnerability. It is a polygenetic, physiological bone deformity that frequently leads to osteoporotic fractures and raises the risk of fractures in minimal trauma. Additionally, the molecular changes that cause osteoporosis are linked to decreased fracture repair and delayed bone regeneration. Bones have the ability to regenerate as part of the healing mechanism after an accident or trauma, including musculoskeletal growth and ongoing remodeling throughout adulthood. The principal treatment approaches for bone loss illnesses, such as osteoporosis, are hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and bisphosphonates. In this review, we searched literature regarding the Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) in osteoporosis and bone regeneration. The literature results are summarized in this review for osteoporosis and bone regeneration. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) have grown in popularity as a result of its success in curing ailments while causing minimal adverse effects. Natural Chinese medicine has already been utilized to cure various types of orthopedic illnesses, notably osteoporosis, bone fractures and rheumatism with great success. TCM is a discipline of conventional remedy that encompasses herbal medication, massage (tui na), acupuncture, food, and exercise (qigong) therapy. It is based on more than 2,500 years of Chinese healthcare profession. This article serves as a comprehensive review summarizing the osteoporosis, bone regeneration and the traditional Chinese medicines used since ancient times for the management of osteoporosis and bone regeneration.

Evolving Roles of Natural Terpenoids From Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic metabolic skeletal disease which can lead to reduction in bone mass and increased risk of bone fracture due to the microstructural degradation. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been applied in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis for a long time. Terpenoids, a class of natural products that are rich in TCM, have been widely studied for their therapeutic efficacy on bone resorption, osteogenesis, and concomitant inflammation. Terpenoids can be classified in four categories by structures, monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, and triterpenoids. In this review, we comprehensively summarize all the currently known TCM-derived terpenoids in the treatment of OP. In addition, we discuss the possible mechanistic-of-actions of all four category terpenoids in anti-OP and assess their therapeutic potential for OP treatment.

A Systematic Review of Animal Models of Disuse-Induced Bone Loss

OBJECTIVE

Several different animal models are used to study disuse-induced bone loss. This systematic review aims to give a comprehensive overview of the animal models of disuse-induced bone loss and provide a detailed narrative synthesis of each unique animal model.

METHODS

PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for animal models of disuse from inception to November 30, 2019. In addition, Google Scholar and personal file archives were searched for relevant publications not indexed in PubMed or Embase. Two reviewers independently reviewed titles and abstracts for full-text inclusion. Data were extracted using a predefined extraction scheme to ensure standardization.

RESULTS

1964 titles and abstracts were screened of which 653 full-text articles were included. The most common animal species used to model disuse were rats (59%) and mice (30%). Males (53%) where used in the majority of the studies and genetically modified animals accounted for 7%. Twelve different methods to induce disuse were identified. The most frequently used methods were hindlimb unloading (44%), neurectomy (15%), bandages and orthoses (15%), and botulinum toxin (9%). The median time of disuse was 21 days (quartiles: 14 days, 36 days) and the median number of animals per group subjected to disuse was 10 (quartiles: 7, 14). Random group allocation was reported in 43% of the studies. Fewer than 5% of the studies justified the number of animals per group by a sample size calculation to ensure adequate statistical power.

CONCLUSION

Multiple animal models of disuse-induced bone loss exist, and several species of animals have successfully been studied. The complexity of disuse-induced bone loss warrants rigid research study designs. This systematic review emphasized the need for standardization of animal disuse research and reporting.

Therapeutic Anabolic and Anticatabolic Benefits of Natural Chinese Medicines for the Treatment of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by increasing osseous fragility and fracture due to the reduced bone mass and microstructural degradation. Primary pharmacological strategies for the treatment of osteoporosis, hormone replacement treatment (HRT), and alendronate therapies may produce adverse side-effects and may not be recommended for long-term usage. Some classic and bone-specific natural Chinese medicine are very popularly used to treat osteoporosis and bone fracture effectively in clinical with their potential value in bone growth and development, but with few adverse side-effects. Current evidence suggests that the treatments appear to improve bone metabolism and attenuate the osteoporotic imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption at a cellular level by promoting osteoblast activity and inhibiting the effects of osteoclasts. The valuable therapies might, therefore, provide an effective and safer alternative to primary pharmacological strategies. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to comprehensively review these classic and bone-specific drugs in natural Chinese medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis that had been deeply and definitely studied and reported with both bone formation and antiresorption effects, including Gynochthodes officinalis (F.C.How) Razafim. & B.Bremer (syn. Morinda officinalis F.C.How), Curculigo orchioides Gaertn., Psoralea corylifolia (L.) Medik Eucommia ulmoides Oliv., Dipsacus inermis Wall. (syn. Dipsacus asperoides C.Y.Cheng & T.M.Ai), Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm., Velvet Antler, Cistanche deserticola Ma, Cuscuta chinensis Lam., Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson, Epimedium brevicornum Maxim, Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge., thus providing evidence for the potential use of alternative Chinese medicine therapies to effectively treat osteoporosis.

Characterization of Chemical Component Variations in Different Growth Years and Tissues of Morindae Officinalis Radix by Integrating Metabolomics and Glycomics

Morindae Officinalis Radix (MOR), the dried root of Morinda officinalis F.C. How (Rubiaceae), is a popular food supplement in southeastern China for bone protection, andrological, and gynecological healthcare. In clinical use, 3-4 year old MOR is commonly used and the xylem is sometimes removed. However, there is no scientific rationale for these practices so far. In this study, metabolomics and glycomics were integrated using multiple chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques coupled with multivariate statistical analysis to investigate the qualitative and quantitative variations of secondary metabolome and glycome in different growth years (1-7 years) and tissues (xylem and cortex) of MOR. The results showed that various types of bioactive components reached a maximum between 3 and 4 years of growth and that the xylem contained more potentially toxic constituents but less bioactive components than the cortex. This study provides the chemical basis for the common practice of using 3-4 year old MOR with the xylem removed.

Morinda officinalis How. - A comprehensive review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The medicinal plant Morinda officinalisHow. (MO) and its root have long been used in traditional medicines in China and northeast Asia as tonics for nourishing the kidney, strengthening the bone and enhancing immunofunction in the treatment of impotence, osteoporosis, depression and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and dermatitis.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to sum up updated and comprehensive information about traditional usage, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of MO and provide insights into potential opportunities for future research and development of this plant.

METHODS

A bibliographic investigation was performed by analyzing the information available on MO in the internationally accepted scientific databases including Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Yahoo, Ph.D. and M.Sc. dissertations in Chinese. Information was also obtained from some local and foreign books on ethnobotany and ethnomedicines.

RESULTS

The literature supported the ethnomedicinal uses of MO as recorded in China for various purposes. The ethnomedical uses of MO have been recorded in many regions of China. More than 100 chemical compounds have been isolated from this plant, and the major constituents have been found to be polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, anthraquinones and iridoid glycosides. Crude extracts and pure compounds of this plant are used as effective agents in the treatment of depression, osteoporosis, fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, and infertility due to their anti-depressant, anti-osteoporosis, pro-fertility, anti-radiation, anti-Alzheimer disease, anti-rheumatoid, anti-fatigue, anti-aging, cardiovascularprotective, anti-oxidation, immune-regulatory, and anti-inflammatory activities. Pharmacokinetic studies have demonstrated that the main components of MO including monotropein and deacetyl asperulosidic acid are distributed in various organs and tissues. The investigation on acute toxicity and genotoxicity indicated that MO is nontoxic. There have no reports on significant adverse effect at a normal dose in clinical application, but MO at dose of more than 1000mg/kg may cause irritability, insomnia and unpleasant sensations in individual cases.

CONCLUSION

MO has emerged as a good source of traditional medicines. Some uses of this plant in traditional medicines have been validated by pharmacological investigations. However, the molecular mechanism, structure-activity relationship, and potential synergistic and antagonistic effects of its multi-components such as polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, anthraquinones and iridoid glycosides need to be further elucidated, and the structural feature of polysaccharides also need to be further clarified. Sophisticated analytical technologies should be developed to comprehensively evaluate the quality of MO based on HPLC-fingerprint and content determination of the active constituents, knowing that these investigations will help further utilize this plant.

Natural Products from Chinese Medicines with Potential Benefits to Bone Health

Osteoporosis is a progressive, systemic bone disorder characterized by loss of bone mass and microstructure, leading to reduced bone strength and increased risk of fracture. It is often associated with reduced quality of life and other medical complications. The disease is common in the aging population, particularly among postmenopausal women and patients who receive long-term steroidal therapy. Given the rapid growth of the aging population, increasing life expectancy, the prevalence of bone loss, and financial burden to the healthcare system and individuals, demand for new therapeutic agents and nutritional supplements for the management and promotion of bone health is pressing. With the advent of global interest in complementary and alternative medicine and natural products, Chinese medicine serves as a viable source to offer benefits for the improvement and maintenance of bone health. This review summarizes the scientific information obtained from recent literatures on the chemical ingredients of Chinese medicinal plants that have been reported to possess osteoprotective and related properties in cell-based and/or animal models. Some of these natural products (or their derivatives) may become promising leads for development into dietary supplements or therapeutic drugs.

Potential antiosteoporotic agents from plants: a comprehensive review

Osteoporosis is a major health hazard and is a disease of old age; it is a silent epidemic affecting more than 200 million people worldwide in recent years. Based on a large number of chemical and pharmacological research many plants and their compounds have been shown to possess antiosteoporosis activity. This paper reviews the medicinal plants displaying antiosteoporosis properties including their origin, active constituents, and pharmacological data. The plants reported here are the ones which are commonly used in traditional medical systems and have demonstrated clinical effectiveness against osteoporosis. Although many plants have the potential to prevent and treat osteoporosis, so far, only a fraction of these plants have been thoroughly investigated for their physiological and pharmacological properties including their mechanism of action. An attempt should be made to highlight plant species with possible antiosteoporosis properties and they should be investigated further to help with future drug development for treating this disease.

Anthraquinone compounds from Morinda officinalis inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption in vitro

The root of Morinda officinalis has been claimed to have a protective effect against bone loss in sciatic neurectomized and ovariectomized osteoporotic rats, and this protective effect is supposed to be attributed to anthraquinone compounds in the plant. In the present study, we investigated the effects of three anthraquinones isolated from M. officinalis, including 1, 3, 8-trihydroxy-2-methoxy-anthraquinone (1), 2-hydroxy-1-methoxy-anthraquinone (2) and rubiadin (3) on bone resorption activity in vitro and the mechanism on osteoclasts derived from rat bone marrow cells. Compound 1, 2 and 3 decreased the formation of bone resorption pits, the number of multinucleated osteoclasts, and the activity of tartrate resistant acid phosphates (TRAP) and cathepsin K in the coculture system of osteoblasts and bone marrow cells in the presence of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamine D(3) and dexamethasone. They also enhanced the apoptosis of osteoclasts induced from bone marrow cells with M-CSF and RANKL. In addition, Compound 1, 2 and 3 improved the ratio of mRNA and protein expression of OPG and RANKL in osteoblasts, interfered with the JNK and NF-κB signal pathway, and reduced the expression of calcitonin receptor (CTR) and carbonic anhydrase/II (CA II) in osteoclasts induced from bone marrow cells with M-CSF and RANKL. These findings indicate that the anthraquinone compounds from M. officinalis are potential inhibitors of bone resorption, and may also serve as evidence to explain the mechanism of the inhibitory effects of some other reported anthraquinones on bone loss.

Inhibitory effects of morinda officinalis extract on bone loss in ovariectomized rats

The present study was undertaken to investigate the protective effects of ethanol extract from the root of Morinda Officinalis (RMO) on ovariectomy-induced bone loss. Administration of RMO extract increased trabecular bone mineral content and bone mineral density of tibia, improved the levels of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and OPG, decreased the levels of DPD/Cr, TRAP, ACTH and corticosterone, but did not reverse the levels of ALP, TNF-α and IL-6 in serum of ovariectomized rats. These findings demonstrated that RMO extract reduced bone loss in ovariectomized rats, probably via the inhibition of bone resorption, but was not involved with bone formation. Anthraquinones and polysaccharides from Morinda officinals could be responsible for their antiosteoporotic activity, and the action mechanism of these constituents needs to be further studied. Therefore, RMO has the potential to develop a clinically useful antiosteoporotic agent.

Antiosteoporotic activity of anthraquinones from Morinda officinalis on osteoblasts and osteoclasts

Bioactivity-guided fractionation led to the successful isolation of antiosteoporotic components, i.e. physicion (1), rubiadin-1-methyl ether (2), 2-hydroxy-1-methoxy- anthraquinone (3), 1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone (4), 1,3,8-trihydroxy-2-methoxy- anthraquinone (5), 2-hydroxymethyl-3-hydroxyanthraquinone (6), 2-methoxyanthraquinone (7) and scopoletin (8) from an ethanolic extract of the roots of Morinda officinalis. Compounds 4-8 are isolated for the first time from M. officinalis. Among them, compounds 2 and 3 promoted osteoblast proliferation, while compounds 4, 5 increased osteoblast ALP activity. All of the isolated compounds inhibited osteoclast TRAP activity and bone resorption, and the inhibitory effects on osteoclastic bone resorption of compounds 1 and 5 were stronger than that of other compounds. Taken together, antiosteoporotic activity of M. officinalis and its anthraquinones suggest therapeutic potential against osteoporosis.

Antiosteoporotic chemical constituents from Er-Xian Decoction, a traditional Chinese herbal formula

AIM OF THE STUDY

Er Xian Decoction (EXD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has long been used for the treatment of osteoporosis and menopausal syndrome in China. The present study was designed to investigate the antiosteoporotic constituents of EXD, and evaluate their antiosteoporotic effects in ovariectomized rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Osteoblasts in neonatal calvaria cultures and osteoclasts derived from rat marrow cells were used to bioactivity-guided screen the active constituents. The proliferation of osteoblast was assayed by MTT methods. The activity of ALP and TRAP was measured by p- nitrophenyl sodium phosphate assay. The antiosteoporotic effects of icariin (1), anemarsaponin B II (8) and berberine (6) were verified by using OVX rats model. The bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry using the small animal scan mode. The undecalcified longitudinal proximal tibial metaphysical (PTM) sections were cut and stained for the bone histomorphometric analysis.

RESULTS

Bioactivity-guided fractionation has led to the successful isolation of antiosteoporotic constituents, i.e., icariin (1), icariside I (2), baohuoside I (3), mangiferin (4), neomangiferin (5), berberine (6), anemarsaponin B (7), anemarsaponin BII (8), anemarsaponin C (9), anemarrhenasaponin I (10), rubiadin-1-methyl ether (11) and obaculactone (12) from EXD. Further study showed that icariin (1), anemarsaponin BII (8) and berberine (6) increased the BMD in ovariectomized rats, and icariin (1) not only increased the bone formation, but also inhibited bone resorption; anemarsaponin BII (8) mainly increased bone formation and berberine (6) only inhibited the bone resorption in ovariectomized rats.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that multiple ingredients are responsible for antiosteoporotic activity in traditional Chinese medicine formula Er-Xian decoction.

Protective effect of polysaccharides from morinda officinalis on bone loss in ovariectomized rats

In order to examine the effect of polysaccharides from morinda officinalis (MOP) on bone quality of osteoporosis rats. The osteoporosis in rats was induced by ovariectomy, and MOP (100 or 300 mg/kg) was orally administrated once daily. The animals were assessed 30 days after the operation for bone mineral density, serum cytokines level and mineral element concentration. MOP administration in rats resulted in an increase in bone mineral density and mineral element concentration, a decrease in serum cytokines level, which indicated that MOP administration may play an important role in the development of osteoporosis.